Where is the strangest stadium

[tmignemi02]

1996 Rochester DCAs...Frontier Field.

[Imperial]

For me it wasn't a stadium at all. It was a hillside in Great Barrington, MA. We drove all the way out there to play to a hillside in 1977. I remember how ###### we were! LOL

Edited September 10, 2009 by Imperial

[StarAlum]

I am surprised Pittsfield, Mass has not made the list. Great environment for Drum Corps, but a wicked pissah of a field to march. Press box way off center, the crowd being so far away from the sidelines and of course the huge mountain they called the pitchers mound out there. I think we had a snare drummer go down on that field in 86.

Another interesting place to pull a show was Rome, NY. If I remember correctly, they took us to the Polish home and fed us to the point of gluttony and then sent us on our way to finish rehearsal and do a show. It was it's own little puke fest after eating all that food. Those people were wonderful up there.

[St.Paul Scout]

New Berlin WI. MBI and the Spirit of 76 competed at a county fair on 4 July for about 5-6 yrs. A regular grassy meadow. In Jr Corps, anywhere in the UP of Michigan.

[matgencontra]

Trying to think.. another that comes to mind....

Torrington was a baseball field, from the 50 to the left was a hill where people sat on blankets and such, from the 50 right were stands. It was a baseball stadium... its also the one that lightning hit the pitchers mound during the precontest meeting and Mickey's hair stood straight up..in 86 or 87.. lol

Also the exit end zone was right into the stands, did a couple of RCA shows sponsored by the Torrington Vagabonds back in the early seventies with the RI Matadors.

Dave Correia

RI Matadors 69-87 - Reunion Corps 1999, 2007 Ensemble

RI Generations 96 - 2000, Mini corps 2009

[Jeff Ream]

1996 Rochester DCAs...Frontier Field.

yup

[Imperial]

I am surprised Pittsfield, Mass has not made the list. Great environment for Drum Corps, but a wicked pissah of a field to march. Press box way off center, the crowd being so far away from the sidelines and of course the huge mountain they called the pitchers mound out there. I think we had a snare drummer go down on that field in 86.

Another interesting place to pull a show was Rome, NY. If I remember correctly, they took us to the Polish home and fed us to the point of gluttony and then sent us on our way to finish rehearsal and do a show. It was it's own little puke fest after eating all that food. Those people were wonderful up there.

I hear ya but if you'd please allow me to correct your Boston slang..... Wicked Pissa actually means really good

[dckid80]

Hammondsport is the filiming location for possibly the greatest mockumentary of all time...Dadetown.

In 1976 with the Royal Coachmen in Hammondsport, NY. It was literally on the banks on one of the finger lakes (not sure which one). We started on the back sideline and there was not alot of room as the water was right there. We won that show too and beat The Imperial Regiment for the 2nd time that year.

[dckid80]

Alas, the Thomaston Prison was closed a few years back.

The prison store is still open though. Lot's of good knick-knacks made by those being rehabilitated.

There were EMASS shows at Everett Stadium every year. Another of the infamous baseball fields. Right on the main drag with absolutely no parking.

There was a CYO show at the football stadium on the Logan Airport grounds every year as well. Not really a problem unless you were performing while planes were constantly taking off and landing.

The strangest stadium we ever performed in was also the scarriest . Around 1962 as a member of the Scarlet Cadets (Lewiston, Me) we were invited to play at the Maine State Prison in Thomaston, Maine. We were escorted by armed guards into the center of the prison which was a deep quary with a ball field at the bottom of it. The prisoners were lined up at the top of the quary about one hundred feet high above us. I remember feeling like General Custer with all the inmates looking down at us all around while we did our show.

The second strangest was really quite funny. It happened twice in the town of Blue Hill, Maine. The town invited us each year to perform our on one of their main streets. During the drill, I remember the baritone line coming so close to a house that their bells stuck inside a window of one of the house on the street. Man I miss those days

Edited September 11, 2009 by dckid80

[cabalumnidrummer]

Some of the other posts helped to remind me of my very first contest in DCA, in 1966. We competed in Stratford CT at the Connecticut Yankees' 'Parade of Champions.' It was held every year in Longbrook Park, which had no stadium, no seats of any kind.

Apparently, each time they ran the contest, bleachers had to be rented and set up and they created a regulation-sized field. Also, because of the limited size of these temporary portable bleachers, the crowd on the 'back' side of the field was as large as the 'front' side crowd. Their solution was to alternate the sides to which corps faced in concert.

I was there as a spectator in 1965, and then competed there for the first time in '66. The only other time I remember a contest 'switching sides' like this was in Madison Square Garden in either 1977 or '78 (maybe both years).